Photo by David Olsen
Recess. Detention. Snack bar. If these words don’t conjure up memories of swings that pinch your fingers, monkey bars warm from the sun, jump ropes clicking on pavement, or that unmistakable ‘boing’ of some kid getting pegged during dodge ball—you may not fully grasp the playful concept behind downtown’s new lounge/bar, Playground.
On the southwest corner of Congress Street and Fifth Avenue, owners of HUB Kade Mislinski and Jenny Rice, hope the new spot just next door will recall fond memories. “The joy kids get running onto a playground is the feeling I want people to have,” Mislinski explains.
Where better to research than actual playgrounds? After touring 20 of them in one day with a group of kids, it was clear that playgrounds simply equal happiness. “We realized it didn’t matter how cool the equipment or how green the grass, the kids loved every single one we visited. That’s the feeling we’re trying to evoke…for grown-ups.”
Playground, the 6,000-square-feet complex overhauled by FORS Architects and Cutshaw Yeager, is broken up into four distinct areas. Corner Lounge—with its retractable floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Congress, an 85-swing installation dangling above a rectangular center bar, the 80-foot video wall where visualists Adam Cooper and Zeke will display works, and a stage where both vinyl DJs and smaller-pieced bands provide tunes—takes the idea of a playground for the 21-and-over set to fantastic heights. Speaking of heights, the 3,000-square-foot rooftop lounge offers a unique view of downtown Tucson, available by reservation for special events, weddings, private parties, and the like.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever kvetched at the lack of options in the area when it comes to outdoor spaces that make the best of our sunny climate. You will then be pleased as punch about Playground’s Bar Cinema. The outdoor patio with a handful of cabanas and its own bar finds itself surrounded by seven-foot ivy-lined walls (think The Secret Garden), and will project movies of all types on the far wall.
On-site craft bar, aptly named Detention, will open a few months down the road headed up by cocktail guru and mastermind of all of HUB and Playground’s drink menus, Andrew Record. In this more intimate upstairs room that will seat only about 30 people, six daily cocktails will be offered at the bartender’s whim. “This is detention with a twist. You’ll be rewarded, not punished” Mislinski explains.
And no re-creation of the very first social scene would be complete without snack time. From HUB’s kitchen, Playground’s patrons can order bites built for sharing that ought to bring back snack bar memories: pickles, popcorn, fruit, olives, nuts, pretzels. You get the idea. In fact, happy hour comes during “recess,” offering up $3 beers, $3 glasses of wine, and $3 well drinks.
Look for fun details throughout the space, including the addresses of famous parks from across the country etched into the metal base of Corner Bar’s counter, and keep an eye out for bright dots of color peppering the ground-aggregate floors—none other than 2,900 marbles tossed about during the flooring process, including the childhood collection of Rice’s father. “This project is all about having fun,” Mislinski says. “And who didn’t have fun on the playground?”
Playground is located at 278 E. Congress St. Hours are Monday-Friday 4 p.m.-2 a.m., weekends noon-2 a.m. Recess happens 4p.m-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and weekends noon-7 p.m. For more information visit PlaygroundTucson.com.
